Method and apparatus for coating vehicle bodies



J. H. C. HALLS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COATING VEHICLE BODIES 2 SHEETSSHEE'I 1 Filed March 16, 1949 dllll Il ll Inventor A'Itornev May 27, 1952 I J. H. HALLS 2,593,163

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COATING VEHICLE BODIES Filed March 16, 1949 i 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 In ventor JiwwAga/w I Attorney Patented May 27, 1952 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COATING VEHICLE BODIES James Henry Collins Halls, London, England, assignor to Carrier Engineering Company, Limited, London, England, a British company Application March 16, 1949, Serial No. 81,776 In Great Britain March 17, 1948 8 Claims.

This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for cleaning, rustproofing and prime coating sheet metal vehicle bodies on a quantity production basis.

One of the present methods today employed for treating vehicle bodies to effect cleaning, rustproofing and prime coating is disclosed in U.-S. patent application Serial No. 8,835, filed February 17, 1948. In this method the body is rotated about a horizontal axis arranged lengthwise of the body and it is advanced sideways through the several treating baths.

A main object of the present invention is to reduce the amount of treating liquid in use at one time, to improve the draining of the body before it passes through the ovens in which the prime coat is baked and generally to carry the body through the treating stages referred to in such manner that it can be immediately passed to the spray booths and make readily available the whole of each body to the operators in the booths.

A method of cleaning, rustprooflng and prime coating a sheet metal vehicle body on a quantity production basis according to the present invention consists in suspending the body at a level such that it may be partially submerged in treating liquids, rotating the body on an axis intersecting the body lengthwise thereof whereby it is progressively coated while advancing the body lengthwise through the treating liquids, and tilting the vehicle body lengthwise in a vertical plane as it enters and leaves each treating liquid.

Apparatus for cleaning, rustproofing and prime coating a sheet metal vehicle body constructed according to the present invention comprises in combination a series of treating tanks, an overhead rail arranged over the medial line of the tanks, groups of wheels adapted to run along the rail, a spindle adapted to intersect a vehicle body lengthwise thereof suspended under the rail lengthwise of the rail from each of the groups and means imparting rotation to each spindle consequent on the forward travel of the wheel groups as each passes over the series of tanks, said rail being curved in a vertical plane to tilt each spindle relatively to the tanks as each spindle passes over the ends of the tanks, whereby each vehicle body threaded lengthwise on a spindle may be successively dipped in and out of the several tanks while being advanced with the spindle and simultaneously rotated on the longitudinal axis constituted by the spindle.

Preferably, a boom, bifurcated at each end, is suspended from each wheel group and the respective spindle is suspended from the .boom, so

2 that the boom is suspended near to the overhead rail and when tilted can straddle the rail, whereby a minimum overall height for the apparatus is achieved.

The tanks employed in constructions according to the invention may be erected above floor level or may be constituted by excavations or countersunk tanks as will be well understood.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood a preferred construction of installation according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation through part of coating tunnel equipped in accordance with the invention showing the humps in the overhead rail over the ends of the tanks and indicating overhead means of rotating the body-carrying spindle as the body is advanced lengthwise through the tunnel.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional elevation to a larger scale showing one of the body-supporting spindles illustrated in Figure 1 and its driving gear.

Figure 3 is an elevational view taken from the left-hand end of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing to a still larger scale the spindle mounting and driving gear,

Figure 5 is a plan thereof, and

Figure 6 is an elevation looking from the right of Figure 4.

An overhead rail l of I section is supported by girders 2, which support the roof structure of the tunnel 2a, on the floor of which is supported the series of treating tanks indicated at 3, the level of the bath therein being shown at 3a in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 1, the rail is curved in a vertical plane as it passes over the ends of the tanks 3 to tilt lengthwise a vehicle body running under the rail first up and then down as it enters and leaves each tank.

A boom 4 is suspended from the rail by two pairs of wheels 5 (see Figures 2-6), which run on the bottom flange of the rail and on each side of the web thereof. The two pairs of wheels constitute a group of wheels appropriated to one boom 4, of which a series will be travelling in succession under the rail at any one time, as indicated in Figure l.

The boom comprises two longitudinals 6 in spaced relation, the ends of which are bent down and joined to form bifurcated or V ends Ba, as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 6, from which depend arms 1, the lower extremity of each of which comprises an open book 8qadapted to receive-a horizontal spindle 9, on which a motor car body indicated at I is threaded through.

The body 0 may be secured to the spindle 9, as indicated in Figure 2, by making the spindle in two parts each having a flange 9a, 9b, which flanges are suitably bolted together through the dash bulkhead Illa of the body ID, and brackets 33 emanating from the spindle 9 are bolted to the bumper strong points 34 of the body; thereby the, body is secured to the spindle, so that rotation of the latter is rigidly imparted to the body. The suspending of the boom 4 and the spindle 9 ice):- actly the same for each car body, and the mech anism for rotating the spindle is the in each case.

The longitudinals have this it, to which are secured, for example by welding, pairs of plates 12 arranged transversely of the boom, and between each pair of plates is pivoted a shank 13 connected to a stirrup [4, which straddles the ra l. andv arri h ax e or the resp ti pa r f whe l Thefins H also carrybearings ior an, axle 1,5 carrying the larger of two sprockets I6, IJ, of which the sprocket H5 is, on one side of therboom and h smal e r c s: n t t er id The axle 15 also carries one bevel of a bevel pair l8, I811, bywhich, rotation of eithersprocket is. transmitted'through,a shat-t tflitoa chain, wheel 20, which latter-, in. tur-h, tran mits. the, motion to the spindle 9 hrough chain 21 and. chain wheel 22, the latter bein fixed for rotation. with the spindle 9. The V-shaped-end of theboom at the. cha n. heel a d s p ov ded. w th a,v bracket o o sup ort he sha t 1:8,, a a b ac t 19b is provid d n. t e bo m, to supp r the bev wheel 3 A swe nown, he e eo es? a t Pa ing through cleaning; and protecting-- bathsente f a section of the tunnel in, which the treated; body is dried by heat and thereafter cooled andin these latter thermal treatment ss enacted in in-. stallations constructed according to the-present invention the body constantly rotates, on; an axis running longitudinally of the tunnehso that the overall dimensions ofthe latterare only. so big; as is necessary to pass the bodies: and ac-v commodate the heating ducts. Moreover, by providing the V-shapedends, to the boom the ends can be tilted upwardly andstraddle the rail l; thereby the boom is suspended as close ascpossible to the rail and a minimum height is permitted for'thetunnel, in which in thebaking or drying. sections in the installation embodying; the invention a minimum volume for heating is provided and an economical body-drying arrangement ob-. ine

After; passing from the cooling zoneeach vehicle body passes into-a tank such as El containing a priming bath, and the speed of rotation of, the body is such as to produce effective coverby the primer. Up to this stage the smaller sprocket controls the speed, of rotation of the spindle.

Asa body moves into that part of the installation where draining of the surplus primer paint occurs, a change overfrom the smaller to the larger sprocket is effected to reduce the speed of the spindle, and after draining is completed a change back to the smaller sprocket is efiected.

m. the irders 2 en su ports 23, to

along the rail l. the spindle is rotated either from the sprocket It: or the sprocket H, the sprocket;

l1 being actuated by its rack until the primer draining zone is reached, and then the sprocket 15 takes control by virtue of its rack 24.

The boom is pulled through the tunnel by a towing chain 25, which at intervals carries forked elements L la, which carry wheels 4o running on the rail I for giving support at. suitable intervals to the chain, the towing chain being connected to the members I3 attached to the boom. As the boom is advanced, the spindle is rotated and the vehicle body revolves around the axis of rotation of the spindle. A counterbalance 21 may be mfiunzted on the spindle 9.

The rail extend from the installation, that is to say, beyond the usual baking section of the tunnel, in which the primer paint is set, to a spray booth, and to enable the usual dust removing operation and painting of edges of doors and other special operations to be effected with safety, the spindle to this end may be provided with means for locking it to the boom, which locking me ns c mprise a. notch plate 29. fix d to th spindle anda ratchet arm 30 pivoted on the boom and carrying a roller 3| held to the plate by a spring 32 in accordance with the suspending U. S. patentv app ication Serial No. 81,826 filed March 16, 1949..

Instead ofdisposing; the actuating; rackssover the sprockets L6; L! the racks may be arranged at a, lower level-, so that the sprockets run on their respective racks; moreover, other means maybe provided for imposing a rotation on the spindle 1.9, as a. consequenqeof theiorward movements of theboom- Bythe present invention, a, bath of minimum width. i obtainablm and except for the counterbalance-only-the vehiclebody is immersed; hence a lir'l'mimmn.of adul elationofthe bath obtains, Moreover, experiment. has shown that; a better draining than hashitherto: been obtainable is achieved by rotating; thebody so that every part advances on. a helimwhile the mounting, of the y Such that-1t can pass direct to the. spray booth and therefbe readily-accessible to the oper ators.

The invention is applicable to the treatment of metal bodies foraircraft or watercraft and the term vehicle bodies in this specification and in the appended claims is intended to mean such bodies as wellas automobile bodies. orthe like (whether or not the chassis is combinedwith the body), all beingvehicles in which are-transportedpassengcrs orgoods.

I claim:

1. A method of treating a sheet metal; vehicle body which comprises suspendinga complete metal body substantially horizontally and ad,- vancing it longitudinally along a, path overatreating liquid, lowering the advancing; body to dip the lower portion of the body in the treating liquid and then raising the advancing; body to passsaid body beyond the liquid, andcontinu ously rotating the advancing body about an: axis substantiallyintersecting the body longitudinallythereof the subject the complete body to the treating liquid and spread the appliedliquid evenly overthebodyduring, its advancement.

2. A method of cleaning, rustproofing; and prime-coating a sheet metal vehicle bodywhiclr comprises suspending. a complete, metal vehicle body substantially horizontally-and advancing it;

longitudinally along a path over successive treat-. ing liquids, loweringthe advancing body. to dip the lower portion, of the body in. the respective. treating, liquids: and then raising the adm-ncingi body to pass said body beyond the liquids, continuously rotating the advancing body about an substantially intersecting the body longitudinally thereof to subject the complete body to the treating liquids and spread the applied liquids evenly on the body during its advancement, and tilting the body longitudinally in a vertical plane when it is lowered and raised to enter and leave the treating liquids progressively.

3. Apparatus for treating a sheet metal vehicle body, comprising an overhead track to be disposed longitudinally over a tank of treating liquid, a mobile carriage suspended from said track to run therealong, said carriage including rotatable support means for removably mounting a complete vehicle body longitudinally of said track and for rotation about an axis substantially longitudinally of the vehicle body, conveyor means extending longitudinally of said track and including means engaging said carriage to advance said carriage along said track, said track being sinuous and having higher portions over the edges of the tank with a lower portion over the tank and between said higher portions, whereby to raise an advancing carriage with a supported vehicle body to pass over the edges of the tank and to lower the carriage to dip the vehicle body in the tank contained treating liquid, and means on said carriage for rotating said body support means to rotate the vehicle body as it is advanced and dipped by advancement of said carriage.

i. Apparatus for treating a sheet metal vehicle body, comprising, in combination, a series of tanks for containing treating liquids, an overhead track to be disposed longitudinally over said series of tanks, a mobile carriage suspended from said track to run therealong, said carriage including rotatable support means for removably mounting a complete vehicle body longitudinally of said track and for rotation about an axis substantially longitudinally of the vehicle body, conveyor means extending longitudinally of said track and including means engaging said carriage to advance said carriage along said track, said track being sinuous and having higher portions over the edges of the tanks with lower portions over the tanks and between said higher portions, whereby to raise an advancing carriage with a supported vehiclebody to pass over the edges of the tanks and intermediately lower the carriage to dip the vehicle body in the tank contained treating liquid, and means on said carriage for rotating said body support means to rotate the vehicle body as it is advanced and dipped by advancement of said carriage.

5. Apparatus for treating a sheet metal vehicle body, comprising an overhead track to be disposed longitudinally over a series of tanks of treating liquids; a mobile carriage suspended from said track and including a mobile unit mounted on said track, hangers depending from said mobile unit in spaced relation longitudinally of said track, a frame suspended from said hangers below said track, and to run therealong, rotatable support means on said frame for removably mounting a complete vehicle body longitudinally of said track and for rotation about an axis substantially longitudinally of the vehicle body; conveyor means extending longitudinally of said track and including means engaging said carriage to advance said carriage along said track; said track being sinuous and having higher portions over the edges of the tanks with lower portions between said higher portions and over the tanks, whereby to raise an advancing carriage with a supported vehicle body to pass over the edges of the tanks and then to lower the carriage to dip the vehicle body in the tank contained treating liquid; and means on said carriage connected with said body support means and operated by movement of said carriage along said track for rotating said body support means to rotate the vehicle body as it is advanced and dipped by advancement of said carriage.

6. Apparatus for cleaning, rustproofing and prime coating a sheet metal vehicle body, comprising, in combination, an overhead rail arranged longitudinally over a series of tanks containing treating liquids, a group of wheels mounted to run along the rail, 9, spindle for supporting a complete vehicle body by intersecting the body longitudinally thereof, means rotatably suspending said spindle longitudinally under the rail from said group of wheels, conveyor means extending longitudinally of said rail and includingmeans engaging said group of wheels for advancing said spindle suspending means along said rail, and means for imparting rotation to said spindle about its axis and operated by the forward travel of the wheel group as it passes over the series of tanks, said rail being curved in a. vertical plane to raise said spindle with a supported body over the edges of the tanks and to lower a body on said spindle into the tank and to tilt the spindle relative to the tanks as said spindle passes over the tank edges, whereby a vehicle body threaded lengthwise on the spindle may be successively dipped into and raised out of the several tanks while being advanced past the tanks and simultaneously rotated about the spindle axis.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said spindle suspending means comprises a frame extending longitudinally of said rail, said frame having depending end portions each supporting a bearing for removably receiving said spindle.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim '7 wherein said frame portions are bifurcated to provide upwardly extending arms which are spaced at their upper ends to straddle the rail when said frame is tilted.

JAMES HENRY COLLINS HALLS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,329,467 Miskella Feb. 3, 1920 1,905,694 Foley Apr. 25, 1933 2,044,077 Jones June 16, 1936 2,383,503 Landis et a1 Aug. 28, 1945 

